


It's just you and me

by TFALokiwriter



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Annoyance, Established Relationship, Fluff, Heartwarming, Humor, I am making my safe bets before even writing this, M/M, Short & Sweet, floating in nothingness, irritation, let's see what my mind can conjure up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-30
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2018-12-15 22:00:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11815035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TFALokiwriter/pseuds/TFALokiwriter
Summary: I got it's just you and me artwork by Ostrich-Cakes! https://68.media.tumblr.com/4fcc6710c23bb0380c9ae2a9f9b0e413/tumblr_ouc0tlDqAi1uwmdg0o1_540.pngIt took some rewriting and pondering to get the core conflict down, your typical run of the mill conflicts that Picard would have to mediate.  So I chose Charlottesville. I wrote a event similar to it. The basket weaving part was down in my head because it would take place floating within nothingness. Written for the Qcard Big Bang. And I could not find the heart to give this summery because I just can't summarize it.





	It's just you and me

"Hello, captain," Deanna greeted Picard as he waited for the turbo lift to arrive. "Did Rene enjoy the painting?"

"He did," Picard said. The counselor returned a smile.

"That is good to hear," Deanna said.

"I may need some advice for his next birthday," Picard said.

"I will be willing to help whatever you need," Deanna said.

"I promised him a weaved basket," Picard said, meekly.

"You are going to get him one?" Deanna asked.

"No," Picard said. "Make one. And paint it."

"My advice is to attend Data's weaving class," Deanna replied. "adult class."

"I will consider it," Picard said, adding a nod. "thank you."

"You are welcome," Deanna replied. She sensed the captain was in a good mood which was different from how he usually was during the week. She turned her head in his direction raising a brow. "I sense you are in a good mood today."

"A new Dixon Hill Holo-adventure was found last night," Picard said. "I just made made plans for it this morning."

"Congratulations," Deanna said.

The doors opened before the two into the colorful turbolift, then they entered it and the doors closed on them.

* * *

Picard made his way to his quarters walking past the night shift officers. He was tired. After the events of the past few days regarding the Kognanans and their sub-species Ankular.  He rubbed his forehead entering the dim lit quarters. He unzipped his jacket then placed it into the laundry dispenser. One side was angry that the other side was coming over and being a irritated making problems that were otherwise not significant. Problems that were not essentially problems at least in their view. Finding a compromise between the two species had been difficult. The Kognanans had derived from fish. The Ankular derived from monkeys. Half of the planet was submerged.  The problem had been dealt with for both sides. They were happy for the most part now that they both got what they wanted. Long as they were happy so was the command crew and namely some security officers who had to intervene when they met up in ten forward.

Picard, for one, was the most delighted.

Secretly, as it meant that he had some time to sit back and relax in his typical captain routines.

And to also have some focus with his significant other.

The captain undressed himself then made his way toward his quarters. He retrieved his briefs, then placed his uniform into the closet where he normally retrieved it attached to a coat hangar. Picard took a quick sonic shower feeling refreshed, yet lethargic. The first thing he did after sliding into his bed with the bed sheets curled around him was fall asleep. He awoke with a start sensing a familiar presence sitting on the edge of his bed. It didn't alarm the captain as it had for the first few years. It was a presence that he welcomed off duty more than on duty Keeping this relationship private was a remarkably easy thing to do. At least, it was assumed this much. The whole crew thought he was single. And it was best that it was left as that for all external parties involved. He will announce his relationship as soon as he became an admiral. Which would be never. Their relationship didn't effect his duties as a officer, Q and Picard ironed out that Q would not interfere in Picard's professional life. Their prime directive technically speaking. And what happened, happened. Picard leaned up from the bed.

"Good morning, mon cherie," Q greeted the stretching man. "I am impressed."

"About  what?" Picard said, with a yawn.

"Not beaming them off your ship for what they did," Q said, Picard nodded in agreement. "Any captain would have done that."

"It was the most ethical decision I had to make as much as it bothered me," Picard said. He twiddled his thumbs as the entity reappeared on the bed alongside him in uniform. "I need some help being taught how to weave."

"Moi?" Q said, dramatically placing a hand on his chest. "Teaching you?" the man's face lit up. "I would be honored!" the entity appeared in the captain's lap with his hands left on the man's shoulders. "Whose the lucky gal?"

"My nephew," Picard said. Q nodded, 'Aaaah', in understanding. "Q, I just woke up."

"You made a promise you couldn't keep with him, again," Q said, as his right hand traveled to the long almost thin shoulder clutching the exposed skin.  "and the last time I appeared when you awoke: you wanted this."

"I can keep this promise," Picard said, as the entity placed kisses along his neck. "and you can arrange for that."

"Yes, I can," Q said, leaning away from the captain's neck. "and I would. . ." the entity looked at him, apologetically. "except those two warring sides will need a not really happy captain." Picard appeared to be concerned as the entity removed himself over to the puzzled captain's side. Q had one leg bend and the other laid flat on the purple blanket with one hand on his left knee. 

"They are not at war," Picard said.

"Right now they are," Q said. "I would gladly help you relax. . . If this afternoon didn't need your full attention," the entity danced his eyebrows up and down with one hand on the human's thigh looking at him in a way. A way like he was the most fascinating, irritable being in existence. "Scene skip."

Q snapped his fingers. In a flare of bright light, the entity was gone leaving a bewildered Picard. The captain looked down to see a certain part of his body was protruding. The captain looked up with a annoyed sigh. Sure he loved his boyfriend. The negative part about in a relationship with a god like entity was leaving after arousing the captain. The captain lived with it, of course, so he began to finish what the entity had started.

"Bridge to Picard," Data's voice came over.

"Picard here," Picard said.

"There is reports of the Kognanans and Ankular in conflict," Data said. "it is taking place at Heftler's Field."

"Heftler's field?" Picard said. "Isn't that where we left them?"

"Yes," Data said. "it seems that they came into war afterwards."

"Why bother," Picard said.

"Captain?" Data said, his voice showing a hint of alarm.

"On my way," Picard said. "Picard out."

* * *

The Kognanans were white like individuals with ridges alongside their facial features with a somewhat buzzed hairstyle that left the curled top in tact. Strikingly resembling a popular hair style, from what few earth documents remained, that was seen in the 21st century to a group that advocated violence and viewed people with darker skin or religion as inferior then them. The Ankular were dark, highly ridged facial featured beings that had different shades to their skin with gills on the side of their necks. Their attire was starkly different, the Kognanans leader, Tauren, was in  golfing attire and the Ankular leader, Clentren, was in casual attire set across from each other at the table between Picard.

The two were glaring at each other.

"Explain to me what started this fight," Picard said. "Mrs  Clentren."

"It began at a organized protest that she fueled," Clentren said. "he has yet to condemn his words and followers."

"They started the violence first!" Tauren said.

"Your people attacked them," Clentren said.

"They came with shields," Tauren said.

"To protect themselves!" Clentren said.

"So?" Tauren said. "That's just a invite--"

"Let her speak, Mr Tauren," Picard cut him off.

"Thank you, captain," Clentren said, nodding in the captain's direction. She turn her attention toward Tauren. "You gave them reasons to attack. They  took weapons and  torches in protests to _hurt_ people! This was done by cowards at night," she turned her head toward the captain. "I was willing to let this issue  be dropped but one of his supporters had to ram down thirteen people." She turned her head toward the brighter red man. "Thirteen people! Our nation lost eight-nine thousand people to a war about being patriotic _and_ racist _!_ There will be a Virgil at the field in two days in their honor," Clentren looked toward the captain. "I have been told that your people would call his followers 'Nazis'."

"And now we have a fight going on between our two nations," Tauren said, earning a glare from the dark woman.

"No, it's more of us protecting the people who rather not see peaceful protects get hurt," Clentren said. "casualties is to be expected for protecting people," she looked over apologetically toward the captain. "Sorry about that," she turned her attention toward the Ankular. "now continue."

"They were in the way in the path of the road," Tauren said. "Right alongside the field. Protestors have no place on the road. And if they walk there, well, it is generally expected that you will be run over by it," he leaned into the chair with his arms folded. "it's their own damn fault. Those protestors are going over the line of designated protesting in the fallen's names." Clentren retrained herself from screaming at the man, her face betrayed nothing with her fingers clutched into a fist. "the alt-left promotes death!"

"Mr Tauren, I am sure that is not the purpose of the protestors," Picard replied, smoothly. "Mrs Clentren, why don't you send a back down order for your people?"

"I would love to," Clentren said. "those are not my people protesting," she smirked looking at Tauren. "those are _his_ protesting." Tauren's face started to turn a deep shade of red. "All thirteen who died were his own." her fingers relaxed along her hand. "My people, who were hurt in the ramming, were alongside the road in the ditch blocking path for the safety of church goers. If your people went any further, they would have burned the entire church down. It was a interfaith one. My people have nothing to do with the battle. If anything, they are acting as rescuer workers, and medical professionals in this conflict."

Picard looked over toward Tauren.

"Mr Tauren, it seems you have to give the stand down order," Picard said.

"Fine," Tauren said, defeatedly. "I will do it on national TV and end up losing my next election.  I will lose all my voters."

"Being a president means doing very difficult things," Clentren said. "you think it was easy for me to pardon a racist ex-sheriff?"

"Yes," Tauren said.

"No," Clentren said. "it was not. I spent hours praying. Upon then I realized, to follow god's teaching, is that I must forgive. Not hate."

* * *

Picard walked into his ready room. Or he thought he was walking into his ready room when his feet stopped meeting the floor. And now the entity had decided to come around. Q timed his arrivals impeccably when it came to pampering  his boyfriend, however, there were still some parts in having a relationship with a mortal that Q somehow had problems with. Living for millions if not billions of years, being in various relationships, with none of which were long term with a mortal. The only ones that had been long term were with members of the Q continuum. Picard folded his arms.

"How was your day?" Q asked.

"You blocked me," Picard said.

"MMMhm, yes, so what about it?" Q asked.

"It was not the most pleasant days I had in this relationship," Picard said.

"Mon capitaine,  I did that entirely for you!" Q exclaimed, dramatically.

"You could have finished what you started," Picard said, as the entity flew up toward his level.  "if you did that entirely for my benefit."

"I didn't mean to make you feel abandoned," Q said, as his hands landed on the human's shoulder.

"Q, that meeting I could have been happy and not been compromised," Picard said.

"Uh huh, and you claim that passion wouldn't cloud your mind?" Q said, cocking a brow. "Do we honestly need a Robin Hood rerun?"

"No," Picard said.  The captain sighed. "I need help learning to weave."

"Ah, Rene," Q said.

"No, don't just give me the knowledge," Picard said, taking the man's wrist before the entity could snap his fingers. "Teach me."

"It's just you and me,"  Q said. "I suppose that would be a romantic way of making up for ditching you."

"Yes,"  Picard agreed, with a short lived nod. "It would."

Q vanished from the man's hands reappearing right alongside him with a collection of sticks floating in mid air within a cup.

"How big of a basket is it going to be?"  Q asked.

"I have not thought about that," Picard said, rubbing his chin. "A medium basket would be best for Rene."

"All right," Q said. "Almost two dozen shoots. Wet, here."

Picard took the handful.

"Why is there a slit?" Picard asked.

"Because you need it," Q replied. A handful of more shoots appeared in the entity's hand. "Now line up the four other base shoots," Q slid his four long brown shoots through the base. Picard held slid the shoots through the slit making it seem like he was holding a daddy long legs except it had no belly or torso. "Now the weavers," In front of the two appeared a box of thin sticks. "wrap them around the center. Don't replace the weavers too many times in the same place or you will get a weak spot in the basket."

"I see,"  Picard said.

Picard looked over toward Q watching his fingers working with the threads.

"Center must be paired," Q said, looking over toward Picard's progress.

"Paired?" Picard said.

"Yes," Q replied. "paired. The center, the bottom, and the inside of the basket relies on it. You need two weavers to do that. It has to be done on both sides. If you fail, both sides are to blame. The center will be so weak that it can just fall apart and before you know it, the whole basket is ruined. No one wants that not even the weaver."

"How loose must it be?"  Picard asked.

"Dear, dear, dear," Q said, placing a hand on the captain's shoulder. "It has to be weaved tightly." The entity let go of the captain's shoulder then finished the pairing on both sides. "it's essential to weaving. . . except for cheating and using a flat wooden piece."

"You mean I could have gotten a center and weaved around the sticks?" Picard asked.

"Now that is not much fun, is it not?" Q said. "You're learning to weave and you get to use the knowledge again on a mission that requires your presence. Theoretically, of course."

"And this mission doesn't involve Klingons," Picard said. "now does it?" 

"No, but it is a certain species you're familiar with," Q said, vaguely. "Powerful technology, dumb as rocks and ridiculously strong."

"Q," Picard began. "did you make them?"

"Don't insult me," Q said. "Tried teaching them. Failed. Only still  here because of the amusement they make."

"So you didn't just make them to make a point?" Picard prodded. 

"No, that was Q's fault," Q said, as Picard finished the paired weaver. "After you finish your first weaver, then you use a larger width. Leave space between the weavers."

"All right," Picard said, as he followed the motion that Q's fingers were sliding the first  weavers above and below  the shoots. 

He replaced the  weaver with a new one being wider and slightly thick. Picard left a line of space with the beginning wrapped around one of the supporting sticks. Picard and Q's legs were sat criss-crossed alongside each other left enticed in distraction. Eventually Q looked over to see the captain was leaning against his shoulder sleeping with his hand on the center of the base. Q snapped his fingers, making him and Picard reappear on the couch in the ready room. Perhaps they could finish this later. Next time. Picard's hand was placed on the entity's knee. Q took the man's hand clutching it. Time was passing, but it was Q time, as he had it paused. Deanna would come into the room in five minutes tops to ask about the captain as he had been acting strangely. True, he made the captain grumpy leaving him abruptly. He should have finished what he started, that much was true. Q snapped his fingers making the basket vanish for the time being. He'll finish what he had started before leaving, once Picard wakes up, only on the bridge. 

Picard was going to love having sex before his frozen-in-time crew,

**The End.**

 

**Author's Note:**

> I got it's just you and me artwork by Ostrich-Cakes! https://68.media.tumblr.com/4fcc6710c23bb0380c9ae2a9f9b0e413/tumblr_ouc0tlDqAi1uwmdg0o1_540.png
> 
> It took some rewriting and pondering to get the core conflict down, your typical run of the mill conflicts that Picard would have to mediate. So I chose Charlottesville. I wrote a event similar to it. The basket weaving part was down in my head because it would take place floating within nothingness. Written for the Qcard Big Bang. And I could not find the heart to give this summery because I just can't summarize it.


End file.
